Search

Background: The growth of rice is reduced by the slow decomposition of accumulated straw, which competes with rice for soil nitrogen nutrient. In recent year, straw-decomposing inoculants (SDIs) that can accelerate straw decomposition and ammonium nitrogen (N) fertilizer that can quickly generate available N is increasingly adopted in China. However, it is still unknown whether the N demand of straw decomposition and crop growth can be simultaneously met through the co-application of SDIs and ammonium N fertilizer. Results: In this study, we investigated the effect of the co-application of SDIs and ammonium bicarbonate on decomposition rate of wheat straw, rice growth and rice yield over two consecutive years in rice-wheat rotation system. Compound fertilizer (A0) was used as control. The ratios of ammonium bicarbonate addition were 20% (A2), 30% (A3) and 40% (A4), respectively, without SDIs or with SDIs (IA2, IA3, IA4). Our results revealed that without SDIs, compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, rice growth and yield were improved under A2; However, under A3, rice yield was decreased due to the slow decomposition rate of straw and limited growth of rice during late growth stage. Combining SDIs and N fertilizer increased straw decomposition rate, rice growth rate and yield more than that of N fertilizer alone, especially under IA3. Compared with A0, straw decomposition rate, tiller number, aboveground biomass, leaf area index, root length, and nitrogen use efficiency were significantly increased by 16%, 8%, 27%, 12%, 17%, and 15% under IA3. Consequently, the average rice yield of IA3 was increased to 10,856 kg/ha, which was 13% and 9% higher, respectively, than of A0 and A2. Conclusion: Our results indicated that ammonium bicarbonate application alone carried a risk of nutrient deficiency during late growth stage and yield decline. Therefore, the co-application of SDIs and 30% ammonium N fertilizer substitution can be a favorable practice to simultaneously accelerate straw decomposition and increase rice crop growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the population attributable fractions (PAFs) for modifiable risk factors for microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in China. Materials and Methods: Data collected from the China National HbA1c Surveillance System from 2009 to 2013 were used. The PAFs of four predefined risk factors, including an HbA1c of 7% or higher, blood pressure (BP) of 130/80 mmHg or higher, low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) of 1.8 mmol/L or higher and body mass index (BMI) of 24 kg/m2 or higher, were calculated for diabetic microvascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSPN). PAFs were further adjusted for age, sex and duration of diabetes. Results: In total, there were 998 379 participants with T2D from nationwide mainland China included in this analysis. As for DR, an HbA1c of 7% or higher, BP of 130/80 mmHg or higher, LDL‐C of 1.8 mmol/L or higher and BMI of 24 kg/m2 or higher conferred PAFs of 16.2%, 15.2%, 5.8% and 2.8%, respectively. In the case of DKD, BP of 130/80 mmHg or higher provided a PAF of 25.2%, followed by an HbA1c of 7% or higher (13.9%), BMI of 24 kg/m2 or higher (8.0%) and LDL‐C of 1.8 mmol/L or higher (5.6%). As for DSPN, an HbA1c of 7% or higher, BP of 130/80 mmHg or higher, LDL‐C of 1.8 mmol/L or higher and BMI of 24 kg/m2 or higher contributed to PAFs of 14.2%, 11.7%, 5.9% and 5.8%, respectively. PAFs for diabetic microvascular complications were mildly to moderately reduced after adjusting for participants' age, sex and duration of diabetes. Conclusions: Suboptimal glycaemic and BP control were the main contributors to diabetic microvascular complications, while the PAFs of unmet LDL‐C and BMI control targets were quite limited for diabetic microvascular complications. In addition to glycaemic control, BP control should be especially prioritized in the management of diabetic microvascular complications to further reduce the disease burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In drylands, rainfed crops generally produce low yield due to low and irregular annual precipitation. It is challenging to obtain both high and stable crop yield in drylands. Soil water storage and consumption are crucial affecting crop yield in drylands. However, the relationship between yield and the degree of subsoil water consumption is still unclear. To clarify the contribution of subsoil water on yield performance under different conditions of WS (water supply during the growing season), we analyzed the relationship between grain yield of winter wheat and SWC 1–2 (1–2 m subsoil water consumption) under different WS conditions, from published studies on a typical dryland habitat (Loess Plateau of China). The results showed that increasing SWC 1–2 during late growth stage had a great potential to increase wheat yield. Moreover, the probability of low wheat yield decreased as more subsoil water was used. When the residual subsoil water storage reduced from (270–210) to (150–90) mm at harvest time, the probability of yield falling below 4000 kg ha−1 was decreased from 100 % to 48.01 % under < 666 mm WS conditions; and the probability of exceeding 5000 kg ha−1 was greatly increased from 0.55 % to 99.59 % under > 666 mm WS conditions. In addition, SWC 1–2 was significantly increased with increasing number of spikes or shoot biomass, which suggests that it is necessary to ensure a sufficient plant population for higher consumption of subsoil water. Our study indicates that wheat yield can be greatly enhanced by using more subsoil water under high WS conditions, and the probability of low wheat yield can be decreased with increasing subsoil water consumption under low WS conditions. • Increasing subsoil water consumption (SWC 1–2) greatly increased wheat yield under high water supply (WS) conditions. • Increasing SWC 1–2 reduced the probability of low wheat yield under low WS conditions. • Increasing SWC 1–2 has a great potential to increase yield and yield stability in dryland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving carbon neutrality is a global goal, and increasing crop yield while reducing agriculture-related greenhouse gas (GHG, including CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O) emissions is an urgent challenge. In the dryland of northwest China, the high input of nitrogen (N) fertilizer drives high GHG emissions. Replacement of part of the N fertilizer with manure (NM) and adding supplemental irrigation water (NMW) to NM can significantly increase crop yields. However, it is still unknown whether the increased yield would induce more GHG emissions. In this study, the change in GHG emissions were investigated under conventional farmer N application (FN), NM and NMW in winter wheat cropping systems. The two-year study showed that the global warming potential, greenhouse gas intensity and carbon footprint of NM and NMW were 3–25%, 21–42% and 9–18% lower, respectively, than those of FN, owing to the lower N fertilizer and the associated N 2 O emissions under NM and NMW. In addition, compared with FN, CO 2 emissions during the growing season were higher under NM and NMW; however, due to the 23–40% higher biomass productivity, NM and NMW neutralized and fixed more CO 2 (21–39% higher net ecosystem productivity) than FN. Therefore, NM and NMW could be favorable agronomic practices in the Loess Plateau when considering the dual goal of maintaining acceptable yields while reducing GHG emissions. • Manure substitution (NM) and supplemental irrigation (NMW) greatly increased wheat yield. • NM and NMW decreased N 2 O emissions from dryland cropland. • NM and NMW decreased GWP, GHGI, and CF and increased NEP. • NM and NMW mitigated GHG emissions under acceptable yield level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I chose the Chinese "Big Eyes" picture. In this black-white photo, a little girl, with fluffy hair, right hand was holding a pencil. Her big eyes were staring at the blackboard, revealing strong desire of knowledge. It was the icon image by the Project Hope, which was aiming at helping the drop-out youth in poverty-stricken areas in China. According to Barthes, a photographic image is said to be controlled by the contexts in which the image is placed or used: internal and external. That means, an individual image has meaning within a particular discourse which is created by its interaction with caption, text, and a presenting agency. I classified genres of media representing the Big Eyes photograph into four ---photojournalism, government public relations, business promotion and documentary photo-book. The paper examined how each discourse directs the meaning of "Big Eyes" picture by analyzing how the photographic image had different meanings, along with different written texts and visual structures, depending on its presenting agency. The result showed that the "Big Eyes" picture was differently represented according to its accompanying texts and other photographs -as symbol of Project Hope, as the embodiment of one of the 3.46 million students who get help, as a symbol of 20 years' achievement of Project Hope, as a symbol of public charity aid, as a symbol of people who are grateful and thankful, as the plight of the poor kids' education condition in rural. It was clear that the specific meaning of an image was influenced by its accompanying verbal text. The presenting agency of a photograph, however, influenced how the photograph was accepted by viewers, rather than altering the specific meaning of the photographic image. Putting these results together, internal and external contexts of a photograph work together to form a discourse, and the discourse directs a specific and implicit meaning of a photographic image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The walnut weevil, Alcidodes juglans Chao (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important agricultural pest and distributed widely in China. The complete mitochondrial genome of A. juglans is 15,638 bp long, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, 21 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and a putative control region (GenBank accession No. MH819192). The trnI gene has not been observed in the A. juglans mitogenome. The nucleotide composition is significantly biased (A, G, C, and T was 38.35%, 10.02%, 14.96%, and 36.67%, respectively) with A + T contents of 75.02%. All of the 21 tRNAs have the typical cloverleaf structure, with an exception for trnS1(AGN). All PCGs are initiated by ATN codons, except for cox1 with AAT instead. Ten PCGs use a common stop codon of TAA or TAG, whereas the remaining three were terminated with a single T. The phylogenetic relationships based on neighbour-joining method showed that A. juglans is closely related to Naupactus xanthographus, which is in accordance with the traditional morphological classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the comprehensive clinical efficacy of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitors in Chinese type 2 diabetes patients and to evaluate whether there is a different response to treatment with different kinds of DPP-4 inhibitors in those patients.Methods: Databases were systematically searched, and qualifying clinical studies of Chinese type 2 diabetes patients were included.Results: A total of 30 studies were included. Treatment with saxagliptin resulted in a significantly greater change from baseline in HbA1c levels (weighted mean difference [WMD], -1.28%; 95% CI, -1.37% to -1.19%); treatment with sitagliptin led to a significantly greater change from baseline (WMD, -1.17%; 95% CI, -1.46% to -0.89%); treatment with vildagliptin was associated with a significantly greater change in HbA1c levels (WMD, -0.77%; 95% CI, -0.88% to -0.65%); treatment with linagliptin led to a significantly greater change (WMD, -0.84%; 95% CI, -0.92% to -0.75%); and treatment with alogliptin also led to a significantly greater change (WMD, -0.91%; 95% CI, -1.48% to -0.33%). In terms of body weight, treatment with saxagliptin was associated with no significant decreases in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (WMD, -0.17 kg, 95% CI, -4.26 to 3.92 kg). Treatment with sitagliptin and linagliptin was also associated with no significant changes in body weight (WMD, 0.16 and 0.11 kg, respectively, P > 0.05).Conclusions: In Chinese type 2 diabetes patients, the efficacy of glucose control in all five kinds of DPP-4 inhibitor treatments was well confirmed, and no significant change in body weight was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive ants threaten China's ecosystems and agriculture. Our review highlights the challenges faced and diverse strategies employed to combat these invaders, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation for safeguarding the environment and public well-being. [Display omitted] • Ecological & Economic Challenges of Exotic Ant Invasion in China. • In-Depth Analysis of China's Struggle with Exotic Ants. • Factors Behind Introduction & Establishment of Exotic Ants. • National Responses: Capacity Building, Research, Legislation. • Addressing Limitations, Enhancing Ant Invasion Strategies. The invasion of exotic ant species in China presents significant challenges to ecosystems, agriculture, and the economy. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of China's ongoing battle with exotic ants, examining the factors contributing to their introduction and establishment. It explores the responses implemented by the decision makers, including capacity building, establishment of research institutions, and legislative measures. Limitations and gaps in the current strategies are identified, highlighting the need for regional collaboration, increased awareness, and strengthened early detection and response systems. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the importance of conducting research to understand various exotic ant species' ecological and economic impacts, facilitating the development of targeted and effective management approaches. By adopting a comprehensive and coordinated approach, China can mitigate the impacts of ant invasions and safeguard its biodiversity, agriculture, and economy. This analysis underscores the significance of collective efforts in addressing the ongoing battle with exotic ants and preserving the well-being of ecosystems, economies, and the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To develop a decision-support software according to the Chinese Diabetes Society guideline in order to improve the standard care in type 2 diabetes., Methods: Firstly, we developed a decision-support software for healthcare professionals. It was an independent software on a tablet to record the data of patients and treatments given by their physicians. A major function of the software was to remind doctors when and how they should implement the standard care as recommended by the Chinese Diabetes Society guideline. Secondly, we compared the baseline data of standard care including statin and aspirin usage with data from a previous "3B study" to see whether there was an improvement of these standard cares. Finally, we further compared the data during four quarters of the whole year to evaluate whether there was a continuous improvement., Results: During the first quarter, 27,291 cases and 27,352 cases were collected with complete information about statin and aspirin usage, respectively. The percentage of patients treated with statins and aspirin in our study was significantly higher than that reported in the 3B study (59.6% vs. 19.9% and 59.8% vs. 18.5%, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences among the four quarters for the percentage of the patients who were taking statin or aspirin ( P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Our decision-support software has been shown to be effective in continuously improving the standardization of comprehensive treatment in type 2 diabetes., Competing Interests: Linong Ji reported receiving consulting and lecture fees from Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Merck, Bayer, Takeda, Sanofi, Roche, and Boehringer Ingelheim and research grants from Roche and Sanofi. All other authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2019 Yingying Luo et al.)

To identify the factors associated with serum total bilirubin (STB) and determine whether STB is independently associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) or diabetic kidney disease (DKD), 1,665 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) (248 outpatients newly diagnosed with T2DM [NDM] and 1,417 inpatients previously diagnosed with T2DM [PDM]) were studied. Clinical and biochemical information was collected, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs6704078) of the UGT1A1 gene was genotyped in 1,059 individuals. Multiple linear regression showed that STB was associated with haemoglobin concentration, platelet count, and serum triglyceride concentration in NDM and PDM patients, and with serum albumin, duration of diabetes, and smoking in PDM patients. In patients with PDM, multiple logistic regression revealed that serum albumin was associated with DR (odds ratio [OR] = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.87-0.96, p = 0.001) and DKD (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.98, p = 0.005) after adjustment for STB, STB-related factors, and risk factors for DR and DKD. In addition, patients with the T allele of rs6704078 had higher STB (13.2 [10.4-17.9] μmol/L versus 11.8 (9.4-14.8) μmol/L; p < 0.001) and similar risks of DR or DKD to those without the T allele. Thus, serum albumin, but not STB, is associated with DR and DKD.

Background: This study aimed to explore adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) candidates based on a recurrence risk-scoring model in completely lobectomized stage I patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LAD)., Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 4606 patients (non-ACT group: n = 3514; ACT group: n = 1092) who underwent complete lobectomy for LAD at Shanghai Chest Hospital from 2008 to 2014. The nomogram predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS) was developed in the non-ACT group using Cox proportional hazards regression. The nomogram-based risk score was calculated in the entire cohort. Differences of RFS between the non-ACT and ACT groups were compared as stratified by the risk score. The score cut-off points were determined using the X-tile software., Results: Six independent predictors, including age, sex, tumor size, pathological subtype, visceral pleural invasion (VPI), and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) were associated with RFS. The nomogram more accurately predicted RFS than the 8th TNM staging {C-index: 0.784 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.756-0.812] vs. 0.719 (95% CI 0.689-0.749), p = 0.0017}. A significant RFS difference was observed among the low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups (p < 0.0001), as divided by the optimal cut-points of risk score (203 and 244). ACT did not improve RFS for patients at intermediate-risk, or was even detrimental for low-risk patients; however, improved RFS was observed in ACT receivers at high-risk (p = 0.0416). ACT candidates with a risk score ≥ 245 constituted 2.6% of stage I patients., Conclusions: The nomogram provided an individual prediction of RFS for stage I LAD following lobectomy. High-risk patients (score ≥ 245) may benefit from postoperative ACT.

Background and Objective: Dapagliflozin is the first SGLT2 inhibitor available in China, where the disease burden of diabetes and its complications is very heavy. Because a new diabetes treatment strategy for diabetes should consider its cost-effectiveness, compared with an existing treatment, this study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness between dapagliflozin and metformin treatment in China., Methods: The Cardiff Diabetes Model (CDM) was used to estimate cost effectiveness and macro- and micro-vascular outcomes of dapagliflozin vs metformin. The CDM effectiveness inputs were derived from indirect comparative efficacy data from meta-analysis of 71 studies comparing monotherapy and add-on therapy of dapagliflozin vs metformin: dapagliflozin or metformin monotherapy, add-on therapy with other oral hypoglycemic agents, and add-on therapy with insulin. Direct medication costs and medical costs on treating diabetes were calculated based on published and local sources. A discount rate of 3% was applied to both costs and health effects. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) were performed to assess uncertainties., Results: The total healthcare costs accumulated over the lifetime on dapagliflozin treatment arm was 8,626 Chinese yuan higher than the metformin treatment arm for an individual patient, and the quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained with dapagliflozin treatment was 0.8 more than metformin treatment. Therefore, an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 10,729 yuan per QALY gained for dapagliflozin treatment arm vs metformin treatment arm. The cost-effectiveness results were robust to various sensitivity analyses., Conclusion: Dapagliflozin treatment was more cost-effective compared with metformin treatment for Chinese type 2 diabetes patients. However, the findings of favorable cost-effectiveness results for dapagliflozin are largely driven by the effects of favorable weight profile on clinical, utility, and costs in the Cardiff model.

Objectives: This study explored the prognostic significance and adjuvant chemotherapy benefits in resected patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer with lymphovascular invasion., Methods: A total of 2633 patients who received complete resection with pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer in the Shanghai Chest Hospital (2008-2012) were enrolled in the study, of whom 222 were diagnosed with lymphovascular invasion. By using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression model, we explored the impact of lymphovascular invasion on prognosis and determined if the use of adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with improved outcomes in patients with lymphovascular invasion. A propensity score-matched analysis was implemented to reduce the selection bias., Results: Patients with lymphovascular invasion had an unfavorable overall survival and recurrence-free survival in stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that lymphovascular invasion was an independent poor prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.71; P < .001) and overall survival (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.45-2.87; P < .001) in patients with stage I. After using propensity score-matched pairs, analysis of 65 pairs of patients with lymphovascular invasion indicated a beneficial recurrence-free survival (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.16-0.67; P = .002) and overall survival (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.12-0.74; P = .009) from adjuvant chemotherapy., Conclusions: Lymphovascular invasion was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer. For such patients, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved survival. Our study suggests that adjuvant chemotherapy might be an appropriate option for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer with lymphovascular invasion., (Copyright © 2018 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate whether low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening is capable of enhancing the detection rate of early-stage lung cancer in high-risk population of China with both smoking and non-smoking related factors., Methods: From 2013-2014, eligible participants with high-risk factors of lung cancer were randomly assigned to a screening group or a control group with questionnaire inquiries. Any non-calcified nodules or masses with longest diameters of ≥4 mm identified on LDCT images were considered as positive., Results: A total of 6717 eligible participants were randomly enrolled to a study group (3550 to LDCT screening and 3167 to standard care). 3512 participants (98.9%) underwent LDCT screening, and 3145 participants (99.3%) received questionnaire inquiries. A positive screening result was observed in 804 participants (22.9%). In the two-year follow-up period, lung cancer was detected in 51 participants (1.5%) in the LDCT group versus 10 (0.3%) in the control group (stage I: 48 vs 2; stage II to IV or limited stage: 3 vs 8), respectively. Early-stage lung cancer was found in 94.1% vs 20%, respectively., Conclusions: Compared to usual care, LDCT led to a 74.1% increase in detecting early-stage lung cancer. This study provides insights about the non-smoking related risk factors of lung cancer in the Chinese population., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study is to analyse the association between gestational weight gain and delivery outcome or the morbidity of pregnancy complications. A total of 1,102 pregnant women who delivered at Peking University People's Hospital in China between January 2011 and December 2012 were included in this study. We divided them into 4 groups according to the baseline BMI quartiles and weight gain quartiles in different trimesters of pregnancy to analyse the status of delivery outcome and morbidity of pregnancy complications. Baseline BMI was significantly positive correlated with the morbidity of gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes. Weight gain in the second trimester of pregnancy was significantly positively correlated with the morbidity of macrosomia. Weight gain in the third trimester of pregnancy showed significantly positive correlation with the morbidity of macrosomia, and significantly negative correlation with the morbidity of neonatal death, preterm birth, gestational diabetes, and low birth-weight infant. Gestational weight gain showed significantly positive correlation with the morbidity of macrosomia and significantly negative correlation with neonatal death, stillbirth, gestational diabetes, preterm birth and low birth-weight infant. There is a correlation between baseline BMI, pregnancy weight gain and gestational complications, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and status of neonate in varying degrees.

The health effects of long-term ingestion of rare earth elements (REEs) on the villagers living in high-REE-background areas in South Jangxi Province, China were studied. Major health complaints from the REE area population included indigestion, diarrhea, abdominal distension, anorexia, weakness, and fatigue, especially after high-fat or high-protein intake. Liver function tests were conducted for adult villagers. Among them, 45 live in a heavy rare earth (HREE) area, 62 in a light rare earth (LREE) area, and 49 in the control area. Test results showed that serum total protein and globulin from both HREE and LREE areas, as well as albumin from the LREE area, were significantly lower (p < 0.01 - 0.01) compared to the results from the control area, whereas albumin from the HREE area showed no significant variance (p > 0.05). The chi-square test showed that Serum-glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) in both areas were not significant (p > 0.05), whereas the IgM in the HREE area was significantly elevated. It is our conclusion that long-term ingestion of REE affected activities of some digestive enzymes, causing malabsorption and indigestion, and might further lead to a low-protein effect for the villagers in the LREE area. However, the damage to the liver was rather mild. The elevation of IgM was probably the result of stimulation induced by the formation of a large amount of granules as a result of direct binding of REEs to globulin or albumin (combination of REEs with globulin or albumin).